Tying up loose ends
by darkrogue1
Summary: Chapter Princess Tutu : Once upon a time, there was a maiden in love. However if she spoke her love, she would disappear in a flash of light.
1. Princess Tutu

Tying up loose ends – Chapter Princess Tutu

It had nearly been a year since the raven had been defeated and Ahiru had returned to her original duck form. Fakir, the useless-knight-turned-writer had never left her since, exactly as he had sworn to. He had been rewriting positively the gruesome ends of Drosselmeyer's stories which had been torn away.

This was a good thing but in her heart, Ahiru sometimes still wondered: should she tell him? Tell him what she nearly had when he had promised her he would never leave her, in whatever form?

At the time it had seemed a bad idea with Drosselmeyer still around. Confess her love and disappear in a flash of light? What would have happened to Mytho if she had disappeared with the last fragment of his heart? This was the fear which had kept her mouth shut at that time. But now… now she wondered anew.

Drosselmeyer was gone, she had already returned to her original form in a flash of light. Was she really still at risk to disappear? And even if she was, maybe it would still be worth it to try.

Fakir had not left her. He liked her. But did he love her? Family member could want to stay together forever. Friends could want to stay together forever… and Fakir had been nothing but a good friend ever since the battle. A good friend, but nothing more.

He obviously did not know what she felt for him. The last time he had spoken of love with her, it had been a question about Mytho.

If there was only one chance that the young man could return her feelings, she had to take it and declare herself: she was a duck now and she believed that aside from re-uttering his pledge to stay by her side, Fakir would never breech the subject with her.

And so, on the first anniversary of the battle while Fakir was reminiscing about that fateful day, when he absentmindedly asked what she had been about to tell, she decided it was time.

"What did you want to tell me? I wonder"

"_Quack_" She said then. _– Fakir_

He turned his head to face her and looked at her. "Yes Ahiru?"

"Quack quack quack-quack quack." She went on, extending her right wing in front of her to add emphasis to her meaning. _– I will tell you_.

"You are going to tell me what you wanted to say then." Fakir repeated to make sure.

Ahiru nodded and closed her eyes, remembering the last time she had done that gesture in front of the young man. She had been human then, and he had seemed embarrassed. There was a chance. This straightened her resolve and she opened her eyes again, looking at Fakir with intent.

She bent slightly forward then, both her wings forming a circle in front of her, slightly crossing, showing her heart. She directed her gesture of offering towards the young man, infusing all the tenderness, the desperation, the longing she felt.

The former knight blushed furiously as soon as he understood the gesture. It was clearly the pose she had once taken in front of him, imitating Mytho. This time it really was meant for him. His heart soared, but he still needed confirmation.

"You love me."

She nodded.

"Quaack _Quack_." She declared, keeping her posture. _– I love you Fakir._

There was a flash of light…


	2. Drosselmeyer's end

_There was a flash of light…_

… _and she disappeared. Thus ended the story of the maiden who could not speak her love._

This was the story Drosselmeyer had written. However the ending had been torn away.


	3. A new end and beginning

_There was a flash of light…_

… And small luminous part began to detach themselves from Ahiru's body.

Fakir's head echoed with an ominous voice. "Once upon a time, there was a maiden in love. However if she spoke her love, she would disappear in a flash of light."

He rose suddenly.

"No! No! You can't disappear! I love you too!" He exclaimed with anguish.

He feverishly grabbed the piece of paper and the feathered pen he had set down on his chair. Ahiru's eyes had already disappeared with the top half of her head.

Fakir looked away to the paper and wrote desperately.

* * *

_Ahiru was not disappearing: she was transforming again and the particles of light regrouped to form a golden egg around her. Her love was returned and the magic of it was exercising its power._

_Ahiru was there, inside the egg, waiting to emerge and meet the former knight again. And when she emerged, it was in the form she liked the most and wanted to be in. He raised his head to look at her._

* * *

Fakir dropped his pen and closed his eyes. Then, standing up, he raised his head and opened them again, looking at human head-level.

Nothing.

Fear and despair clung at his heart and he dropped his gaze down, hoping for yellow feathers.

His eyes met pink skin instead.

Ahiru lay sprawled on the ground. She looked as Ahiru would… as princess Tutu would. A naked princess Tutu that is. Human.

"Ahiru!" Fakir exclaimed, transported with joy.

Smiling and blushing, he removed his shirt to help cover her and kneeled by his beloved. She moaned, turned her head. Their eyes met and she smiled.

"I love you Fakir." She affirmed once again, sitting up.

"I love you too, idiot." He answered, drawing her in a tight embrace. "I really, really love you."

And then he whispered, so low that only she could hear. "And in whatever form, I will always remain by your side, for as long as you will have me."

And so, a man had written an end to another story. But this end was also a beginning.

* * *

_The End_


End file.
